Blind People See

I love the lead up to Christmas. The advent season brings much hope, a fanciful aesthetic of twinkling lights and cozy environments breeds nostalgic tradition. Not to mention the season seems to get longer every year. But I don’t typically like the aftereffects of Christmas. Of course, there is the great joy that the birth of Jesus brings to our lives, but there is something sad about packing up the decorations, cleaning up the boxes and putting away the shiny new things.

The lead up to Easter is much different. The spring season offers a dichotomy to the journey to the resurrection. During lent we focus on the real sacrifice of Jesus, even participating in a much less extreme way. It’s a more somber season, but the celebration and aftereffects are much different. He has risen, indeed. And it matters how we respond.

I was thinking about this aftereffect while reading the words of the Angel at the tomb to the women who came looking for Jesus in Matthew 28:6-7, “He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He is risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.” Of course, the women immediately ran off to go look for Jesus and I bless you to do that as well. He is alive and is at work in your life. His presence, glory, artistry, and voice are all around you.

Looking for Jesus requires that we clean our lenses. When my dad was alive and living with us, he was constantly cleaning his glasses. In fact, he would carry around little square packets of lens cleaning cloths and not only wipe his glasses every hour or so, but he would also offer the wipes to anyone he came in contact with wearing glasses. It wasn’t until he went to his eye doctor that he found out that he had cataracts. It wasn't that his external lenses were dirty, it was the cataract that was impairing his vision.

We all have the proverbial cataract that keeps us from looking for and seeing the Lord’s glorious work all around us. Some of the dark spots are labeled doubt, disappointment, cynicism, busyness, and general apathy. Their development is often gradual and not noticeable until we feel something is missing. Our faith requires fuel. The Lord is famous for communicating in wonderful and awe-inspiring ways. The rainbow after the flood. Imagine if Noah was too traumatized from the loss of, well, everyone, and bitter with the length of waiting to see and receive the promise. What if John the Baptist was too worried about the number of people being baptized that day and didn’t pay attention to the dove that affirmed Jesus as the Chosen One of God?

The enemy wants to blind us with hurt, distract us with shiny objects, and pull our focus to ourselves or others. But Jesus heals the eyes of the blind. His tactics are unusual and vary, but the outcome is the same—blind people see. It begins with recognizing the need and bringing it to Jesus. What is causing your blindness? Jesus never turned anyone away and he wants to heal your vision so you can see him and the world around you with clarity and joy.

When my dad had his cataract surgery, he not only had the cataracts removed, he had his vision corrected. He’d been limited by extremely poor vision his whole life. As a child, his parents didn’t know that he needed glasses until he was seven. His behavior had become so erratic, and his learning development delayed that the doctors sent him to an eye doctor. He was so visually impaired that when he put on glasses for the first time, he didn’t recognize his own brother, or what a tree was. The world became new and there was so much to see and learn.

The best thing about looking for Jesus and the loving hand of the Lord in our lives is that he wants to be seen. In fact, in the account of the women on a mission to find him in Galilee, Jesus doesn't wait till they get there, he meets them on the road! “And as they went, Jesus met them and greeted them. And they ran to him, grasped his feet, and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, ‘Don’t be afraid! Go tell my brothers to leave for Galilee, and they will see me there.’” (Matt. 28:9-10)

They were already on their way. Jesus didn’t have to meet them, but he knew that the women had been through a lot. He cared to meet them, to encourage them, affirm their faith and calm their doubt. God’s love meets us in the middle. I love Jeremiah 29:13-14 especially in the Message translation, “When you come looking for me, you’ll find me. Yes, when you get serious about finding me and want it more than anything else, I’ll make sure you won’t be disappointed.” He is risen. Jesus is alive and wants to show himself and his goodness to you to fuel your faith and fill you with joy.

Joyfully,

Season Bowers

Bowers